Marco Senior Softball: Players honored for class on and off the field

ROGER LALONDE

1:04 PM, Mar 10, 2014

Roger LaLonde/Staff
Stan Sutphen shows five shirts of the eight teams he has played for in the Marco Island Senior Softball League. Sutphen, Bill Dauch and Jake Jacobson received Sportsmanship Awards for their play and character.

“Men don’t quit because they get old, they get old because they quit.”

That has been the resounding motto of the Marco Island Senior Softball League since former Marco Eagle columnist Roy Saunders wrote it in December, 1999. “Hey over 60 batters take a swing at this. Wanted: 60 Good Men, must be over 60 to start a senior softball league.

In 2000 the league began, with the rival grocery stores, Publix and Winn-Dixie, sponsoring the teams. They soon lowered the age to 55 to accommodate more athletes who wanted to play.

This year three players were honored for their class on and off the field with the Sportsmanship Award, created by Nick Brooks. Those honored were Stan Sutphen, Jake Jacobson and Bill Dauch.

Brooks started the award 10 years ago, honoring older players who have made a difference to their teams and are genuinely nice people.

On the plaque are two gold-colored baseballs and a gold-colored Rawlings baseball glove, shrunk to miniature size.

Other honorees have been Dom Fiorda, one of the league’s founders, Joe Vantyle, George Dempsey, Mel Mandel, John Prushko and John Ranieri.

Stan Sutphen, 82, was on one of the first teams, Winn-Dixie. He has played for seven other sponsors in his 14 years, including Sand Bar, Dunn Title, Bub’s, Capt. O’Bien’s, Island Restaurant, ADKOS and Sasso’s.

Not so sure of the years, Sutphen played shortstop when Dunn Title won the playoff championship. For Capt. O’Brien’s, playing shortstop and second base as it won the regular season and the playoffs. He was the second baseman for Islander Restaurant when it won the regular season and the playoffs.

He took early retirement from Exxon Enterprises, where he once served as service manager for 25,000 accounts in the Boston area when Exxon was in the oil burner heating systems. He and wife Pauline bought a condo in 1986, moving to Marco in 1997.

He is well known for being First Captain on the Marco Princess, part of Sunshine Tours. The Princess is popular for lunch and sunset cruises.

“I never thought I would be associated with guys from all over the country and make a lot of good friends,” he said.

Jacobson, 80, is playing in his 11th year. He played his first 10 years as a first baseman and catcher this season. He played with CJ’s on the Bay when it won the playoffs in 2011.

He and his wife Lois first came to Marco on a time share switch.

‘We started coming down with the kids in 1981,” he said. They bought a condo in Princess Del Mar in 1995. They still own rental properties in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

“I was hitting over .400 when I started out, but every year I’ve dropped a few points,” he said. “I’ve done better this year, but a pulled muscle has bothered me.”

Jacobson likes being with the guys, two to three times a week, playing softball.

“It brings a lot of enjoyment talking with the guys. It has been good for me and Marco and Florida has been good for us (family).”

Bill Dauch is the youngster at 78. He and wife Mona of 60 years in June, were high school sweethearts. He and son Len continue to operate the William Dauch Concrete Co. in Norwalk, Ohio.

“I grew up on an old-fashioned dairy farm where we milked the cows by hand,” he said. “As long as I can remember I loved playing softball.”

There were six boys and a girl in the family.

“We’d get the neighbor boys and play softball on the farm,” he said. “Sometimes we only had three on a side. That changed the rule a bit.”

He got into the senior softball league by talking with Dom Fiorda. Dauch has played on nine teams. He now plays on CJ’s on the Bay.

Over the years he has played most every infield position and right field.

He felt a little off balance last season, ending up having eye surgery at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

“It’s much better (vision) now,” he said. “They even got so desperate that I played shortstop for a week or so this season.

“I am in the fourth quarter of my life, still being competitive and having so much fun and having such respect for the guys. Doctor, or lawyer, we are all the same when we put on our shirt and hat. I’ll stop playing when I can’t get to first base.”